This
is the instruction sheet I send with each repair parts set for Rolmonica.
Price for the kit and a paper copy of these instructions --$20.00
One
repair set for your Rolmonica includes:
- Two trackerbar gaskets.
Some will only need one, but two are sent for the units that used a
1/8” thick gasket originally.
- There is also the
rectangular gasket, which will not be needed for bakelite pressure door
models but only for the metal door/metal tracker bar models.
- Also included are reed
flaps, which are applied to both sides of both reed frames.
- Also there is gasket
tubing for the solid bakelite model that clamps closed to pressurize the whole
inside chamber. (24” tubing per kit)
The white
tubing gasket material is 24 inches long, which will more than replace the
original. Peel the old gasket off
and clean off the old glue. Usually
this is burned shellac and will scrape off.
If there is a problem you may use a hair dryer to warm it.
This will soften it and assist in removal.
Do not soak the door in alcohol as bakelite will dissolve in alcohol or
methanol. A small amount at the
location of a stubborn spot may help, however.
Apply the new gasket with burned shellac or plastic glue.
Do not stretch it. Turn
corners with a sharp pointed bend. It
will look like it is mitered but it is a one piece gasket. The splice should be tight to not leak.
Slicing both ends at the same time works well.
Burned shellac must sit overnight or a day or two before it hardens
enough to close the door.
The bakelite
model has the harmonica inside the pressure door.
It is removed by a number of small escutcheon nails in each end of the
harmonica. It usually does not need
to be glued but was originally held in place by pressure of the harmonica and
its escutcheon nails. The metal
door model is the same but with two nails to hold the metal tracker bar in place
and two more to hold the harmonica in place inside the metal tracker bar.
When removing the harmonica you may need to slide a narrow putty knife or
a knife blade down the crack between the harmonica end wood and the metal where
the nails went. These nails may not
have had drilled holes so they imbed a burr of metal down into the wood when the
nail is driven in and you must bend those burrs back toward the metal hole. This will probably mess up the knife blade so be warned.
Be careful not to bend the metal tracker bar on the long or curved sides,
but you may bow out the ends ever so slightly to remove the harmonica.
Replacing the harmonica is just like the bakelite model except one nail
goes into the tracker bar/harmonica and the other holds the tracker bar in place
in the bakelite or plastic mouthpiece. The
rectangular gasket must be replaced before reinstalling the metal tracker bar.
When taking
the harmonica out, make a note of which end has the bass reeds and mark the unit
with chalk or pencil with a B for bass. When
the harmonica is out, you must remove the shield from over the brass reeds in
the bakelite pressure door model, there is none in the metal door model.
Rebuild only one reed frame at a time in order to know which side goes
where. Before removing the first frame make a mark in the brass with
a screwdriver blade or scribe so you will know which side goes up when you put
it back. Save the nails.
You may remove these by sliding a wide blade knife under a corner of the
brass reed frame and lift the whole thing slightly.
Do this under each corner and in the middle of the long back side so that
the small nails are up slightly. Now
with a small pair of side or flush cutters, gently pull each nail.
Do not cut or damage them they will be reused in most cases.
On rare occasions they are rusted out.
In such a case you will need to find new ones of the same size.
If the reed
flaps are still there, remove them and clean off the burned shellac
You may soak the frame in denatured alcohol or methanol and it will melt
the burned shellac. You may clean the frame with a Q-tip or rag wrapped around
your finger but be extremely careful to avoid any contact with the reeds
themselves. You may gently wipe
them but only from brad end to open end. DO NOT WIPE THEM THE OTHER DIRECTION.
You run the risk of bending the reed back and/or breaking it off. Hold
the frame up to the light and look around each reed you should be able to see a
thin line of light all the way around each reed. If not check for dirt in the space between the reed and the
frame. There should be no dirt in
that area top or bottom. Use a
sharp pointed exacto-type knife to remove it without harming the reed.
Do not use strong solutions of Ammonia on these or you will find the
reeds missing or half eaten away.
Check that
each reed plays by sucking each one from beneath.
Often this shows that they do not play.
You must get a single sided razor blade and slide it under two or three
reeds at a time, the blade being perpendicular to the reeds and flat against the
frame. Gingerly press the blade
closer in toward the rivet holding the reed down. You are slightly raising each reed and actually bending it
up. BUT NOT VERY MUCH.
Too much and it will not play. To
play correctly, a reed must be slightly above the hole in the frame or it will
not be pulled down into the frame to begin vibrating.
You could also use a feeler gauge if a razor blade is not available but
this may be more difficult. If the
sides of the frame slot are clean and the reeds are clean and are slightly above
the frame, then they should all play well.
YOU DO NOT WANT ANY BENDS IN THE LENGTH OF THE REED.
The only bending you can do is up next to the rivet and be very gentle.
It is better to press in the razor blade two or three times rather than
overdo it once and have to press the reed back down.
This procedure is one part of the larger procedure of reed voicing.
There were people who spent their whole lives doing nothing but learning
to voice and doing voicing of reeds so don’t be fooled into thinking you are
now a reed voicer. I do not
consider myself very good at the rest of voicing and I have done it for over
thirty years….but not full time like the old guys.
Cut the flap
for each reed to be 1/16” plus 1/8” longer than the slot under the reed.
Put a dot of burned shellac or plastic glue on the spot under the rivet
of the reed on the opposite side. In
other words, the flap goes on one side of the frame slot and the reed is over
the other side of the slot. DO NOT
GET GLUE INTO THE SLOT. If you do,
you must wash it out. It will
hamper the action of the reed on the other side.
When putting the flaps in place the open end of the flap should overhang
the end of the slot by 1/16” and overhang the long sides of the slot equally.
These flaps are cut to .135” (thousandths) and are the same width as
the originals were. They will fit
between the wooden dividers in the harmonica body.
I must state what may be obvious, the rubber side of the flap goes toward
the reed frame. These are made with
burned shellac on the back side so they will continue to stiffen for some weeks
to come.
When
applying the flaps, do the inside side of the frame first and let it dry 24
hours for burned shellac and several hours for plastic glue.
(Remember your mark is on the outside of the frame.)
You may then re-install it into the harmonica.
You may also remove the other reed frame, and clean it up like the first
one was done. Take it to the same
point as the other with the flaps on the inside.
You can do the inside flaps on this one and outside flaps on the
re-installed one the same day. In this way you can save a day in letting burned shellac dry.
Once dry, you may re-install the second frame and apply its outside
flaps. Let each set be completely
undisturbed after each gluing for the hours specified above.
Re-install
the harmonica’s reed shield if you have the bakelite model and reinstall the
harmonicas into their original locations and put on a roll.
Use your marking of B for the correct placement of the harmonica.
You may notice that on the outside of the unit, next to one of the
cranks, there is the word “play” with an arrow instructing the direction to
crank. Follow this and play your
Rolmonica. Because of the flaps you
should be able to power it with suction or pressure.
Enjoy your music. Now if
only we could get enough rolls to satisfy us all.
Perhaps someone could cut a roll of a Britanny Spears tune?<G>
Have
fun with your Rolmonica and remember you do your own work at your own risk.
Piano World is not responsible for any damage from the incorrect use of
our supply kit. We do, however,
guarantee our supplies to be fully functional for a period of 5 years from the
date of purchase. If any problem
occurs, we will replace any product found to be deficient with new product.
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